


XOXO, Gossip Gay (DISCONTINUED)

by HesitantlyHipsterAlien



Category: Gossip Girl
Genre: Alcohol, Bisexual! Chuck Bass, Bisexual! Jenny Humphrey, Chuck Bass is the best wingman, Drugs, Gay! Dan Humphrey, Gay! Nate Archibald, M/M, Slow Build, Very AU, canon character death, self harm mention
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-14
Updated: 2018-02-15
Packaged: 2018-11-14 03:54:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 9,147
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11199927
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HesitantlyHipsterAlien/pseuds/HesitantlyHipsterAlien
Summary: Dan Humphrey is Serena's gay best friend. His father is a member of the famous band Lincoln Hawk and his little sister Jenny is an up and coming teen fashion icon.When Serena left after making her mistakes, Dan left with her because a blast to Gossip Girl almost forced him out of the closet. But now they've come back to the Upper East Side and its going to turn everything upside down.





	1. Homecoming

Be forewarned, Upper East Side, the winds of change are blowing and they're definitely going to ruffle some feathers.

Spotted getting off the train together at Grand Central Station, 'Brooklyn Boy' Dan Humphrey and his BFF Serena van der Woodsen. Rumors of romance have been in the air since the two disappeared last year, but then again, a little birdy with a capital B told me Danny-boy might not swing that way.

Reunions happy and not-so-much await the dynamic duo, not to mention World War III, when their abandoned bestie Blair Waldorf learns that D and S have returned.

Keep your cameras ready, kiddos, no one is going to want to miss this.

You know you love me.   
XOXO, Gossip Girl.

 

"You ready to see your dad and Jenny again?" Serena asks quietly, only just loud enough to be heard over the bustling mid-afternoon crowd. Her tone is the one she uses to warn him she'll see straight through and lie he could possibly try to tell.

Dan frowns, already spotting a familiar pissed off rock star and a goth-punk blonde. Looking from his family to Serena, a sigh escapes him.

"I left while dad was in Cali, touring. He's kind of pissed that I didn't get his consent before we left," Dan says softly. "I may end up a homicide victim."

"Call me if he gets too unbearable?" Serena says, squeezing his hand.

"Always," Dan replies, glancing to his family once more. "You and your mom going to visit Eric?"

"Yeah," His blonde bestie says with a frown. "Mom says Jenny's been visiting him nearly every day. Apparently he helps her come up with new, interesting clothing designs."

Dan gives a little grin, hearing that, though its faintly sad. "That's good. Tell him I say hi and that I'll come visit when I can."

"I will, call me later, whatever happens," Serena says, turning to head over to the railing where her mom is waiting. Dan nods, running a hand through his hair, his expression clearly anxious.

"I will."

 

Lily van der Woodsen greets her daughter with a smile and a hug. Tucking some of her eldest child's curls behind her ear, Lily speaks softly. "I missed you two. How's Dan doing?"

Glancing to her best friend, who is currently being scolded for everyone to hear. Dan stares at the ground in embarrassment. Expression saddening, Serena gives a heavy sigh. "Terrified of Rufus, who is clearly very angry about Dan leaving with me last year..."

A frown overtakes Lily's expression as she follows Serena's gaze. "Rufus called me about a month after you both left. He was very upset. If Dan gets into another fight with him, we might end up taking Dan and Jenny back home with us again. Eric insisted his room is always open."

Serena nods some, watching anxiously as the Humphrey's leave.

 

The ride back to their loft in Brooklyn is awkwardly quiet. Dan stares out the window, angry tears stinging in his eyes. Jenny sings softly along with the radio, her beautiful voice easing some of the silence. Rufus scowls at the back of the chauffeur's head.

When the limo gets to the loft, Dan is the first one up the stairs. Jenny follows, both teens retreating to their respective bedrooms.

After a few moments, the doorman, whose name is Lance, brings Dan's bags in. Thanking him, Dan stands to start unpacking. He's just started folding his favorite gray skinny jeans when his father stalks into the bedroom.

"Is there something you'd like to tell me, Daniel?" Rufus asks sternly. "Maybe explain what people have been saying about you online."

"Not screwing Serena, dad," Dan replies, tone cool. "That would be like screwing my sister. Things got rough for Serena, Georgina was definitely to blame. S was afraid to go to a new boarding school alone, so when she asked-"

"You should have called me first," Rufus snaps. This is the third time he's said it since he and Jenny picked Dan up at Grand Central Station.

"Did you really care, Dad? You're rarely ever home for more than two days anyway," Dan quips, glowering up at his father. "And after you and mom splitting up was literally on TV everywhere, things at school got bad. Serena gave me a way out."

Rufus stares at his son for a minute, then sighs in defeat. "Just...call me next time, okay?"

"Sure thing, dad," Dan replies, his tone empty.

"By the way, don't unpack," Rufus adds. "I have a concert in Canada that kicks off my newest tour, I'll be gone two months at least. You and Jenny are going to stay at Lily's."

Dan sighs, nodding. "Alright."


	2. Catching Up

An hour or so later, Rufus is on the phone with his tour manager. He's already planning a tour around thanksgiving. Something he never used to do when he was still married.

Jenny, finally finished with her own packing, wanders into her older brother's bedroom. He glances to her from his position sprawled beside the suitcase on his bed.

"Dad came and told you before you unpacked?" She asks. He knows she wants to talk about last year and the real reason Dan left. He nods to her, sitting up and motioning for her to come and sit. She does, adding: "You been on Gossip Girl lately?"

Dan shakes his head. "No, Serena and I swore off it while we were away."

Jenny grins a bit. "Must've been nice to get away from it all for a bit. Anyways, the Nate Archibald problem has been resolved."

The Nate Archibald problem started when Dan realized he had a crush on Blair's boyfriend. And at first, only Serena, Eric, and Jenny knew. 

At least that's what they all thought. But then came the anonymous Gossip Girl tip that 'D.H. liked Nate Archibald'. Dan blamed Georgina, as he could guess he may have told it to her when drunk one time or another.

"How?" he frowns. When he'd seen the post, he'd thought his life was over.

"Well, turns out Constance-Billiards had a D.H. too," Jenny replies, stretching. "A senior named Dianna Hartford. Blair made her life miserable, which was kind of okay because Dianna was a massive bitch."

"Better her than me," Dan muses; Jenny nods, sighing some.

"I got featured on Gossip Girl again, too," She states softly. "Dad was pissed because it was pics of me tonguing some girl, but that seemed better than Eric's incident showing up every where."

Jenny's own incident- part of her fall from Queen of Constance-Billiards- had been the first time Jenny made it onto Gossip Girl. It happened when the boy she turned out to be dating was actually gay and into Eric. That was when the two were in their freshman year.

Eric's incident this year was a suicide attempt.

Dan nodded. "Serena told me, you did good," that made his sister smile. He then added: "We'll keep him safe, especially from people like Georgina."

"What'd she do to Serena and you anyways?"

"Serena's side of that isn't mine to tell, but I'm pretty sure she tipped Gossip Girl about my feelings for Nate," Dan says, sighing softly.

Rufus pokes his head through the door, finally off his phone. "You two ready?"

"Guess we kind of have to be," Jenny mutters before retreating to her room to grab her things. Dan stands, heaving his bag off the bed, once again in a bad mood. He's been home no more than three hours and he's already leaving again.

 

"You talk to Blair at all?" Dan asks, stretched out on Serena's bed in his blue, black spotted pajama pants and black tank top. Serena, who is in the process of brushing her hair, frowns a little. 

"I've called four times, Dorota says she doesn't want to talk to me," she sighs.

Sighing too, Dan rolls onto his back. "Well, she would know, she has been Blair's nursemaid for quite a while."

"Yeah she has, sleep in here tonight?" Serena asks, flopping down beside him.

"Will me, you, and Jenny all fit?" Dan asks. Lily knows that he and Serena are more like siblings than they are anything else.

"We should, this is a king size after all," Serena says.

"Alright," Dan yawns, stretching some. "Maybe we'll get lucky and B will forget to make our lives totally miserable tomorrow."

"Blair?" Serena shoots him an incredulous look. "As if."

"Yeah, you're right," Dan says, shifting to crawl to the end of the bed and pull Cedric out of his bag. "We'll have to change our names. I'll be Stan Lumphrey and you can be Selena van der Hoosen, we'll be from Sweden." 

This statement causes them both to burst out laughing, Serena imitating his statement in a horrendous accent. 

"Stan Looomfree and Selener van der Hoosen, at yer service," She says, causing Dan to laugh harder. Jenny, who's just walking in, smiles at them both.

"What did I miss?" She asks, plopping down on the other side of Dan.

"Serena and I are changing our names and posing as transfer students from Sweden so Blair can't ruin our lives.

"Good luck with that," Jenny teases, flopping back onto the bed. Dan soon joins her, Cedric seated up on the headboard, watching over them. Neither girl teases Dan about it because they know that Cedric is sort of Dan's security. His connection to his mother, who bought the doll for him when Rufus refused because he thought it would make people think his son was gay. Hence, Dan's apprehension to come out of the closet.

Soon after, the chatting dies down and all three are fast asleep. Life finally feels somewhat normal.


	3. School Daze

The first day of school can be considered the biggest source of anxiety for almost every teenager in America. The same is doubly true for the posh royalty of the Upper East Side.

Not only is the first day of school a chance to turn over a new leaf, it's also a critical time to enforce the pecking order. Our own darling Queen Blair Waldorf knows that all too well.

Queen B rose to power after S and D suddenly disappeared, and she has upheld the tradition of the 'Girls of the Steps'. How will the ruler of Constance-Billiards kick this new year off? Will she openly welcome Dan and Serena back at the risk of looking like she's gone soft? Or will she put the two in their place and risk killing a friendship that's survived since pre-school?

Keep me in the loop.

You know you love me.   
XOXO Gossip Girl.

 

"You nervous?" Dan asks, fidgeting with his tie for the third time in the past five minutes. Serena glances over, a slight smile pulling at her lips.

"Maybe not as nervous as you are. I haven't seen you retie your tie this many times since the first time we both went to one of Blair's parties," She says, reaching to move his hands aside and retie the tie for him before he hangs himself with it. Her eyes search his face as she speaks in a knowing tone. "Whatever happens to do, you're going to be alright. I promise."

Dan nods, trying to slow his breathing. "You will too."

Serena giggles, squeezing Dan's hand as the limo stops in front of the school. "Copy cat," She playfully scolds.

As they both grab their bags and step out, Dan bites his lip. Part of him is terrified of Blair. But another, larger part of him, is worried what will happen when he sees Nate.

 

The atmosphere in the Dean's office is suffocating. Dan is seated in one uncomfortable wooden chair, Serena in the other. The Dean glowers at them across her desk, her expression cooled.

"You two are on very thin ice, is that understood?" The woman says sternly, her demanding tone making them both flinch. "Any slip ups and you will be off of this campus for good."

Both nod quietly, at which the Dean smiles. "Good, you may go back to class."

The pair stand, walking out, and, in there hurry, straight into Blair and her girls of the steps.

"Ohmygod, rude!" The blonde one squeaks, her books knocked out of her hands by Dan's slender frame. Just as he moves to help her, the two other girls already have the books retrieved and are glowering at him.

"Careful girls," Blair croons in her sickly sweet tone. "These two are notorious for walking all over people."

"Really, B?" Serena sighs, already sounding exhausted from the conversation. "This is how things are going to be?"

"Well what'd you think would happen, S?" Blair snaps. "You and D ditched me without explanation last year. I found new friends, ones who won't disappear without warning. And I can't go around just welcoming traitors with open arms now can I?"

The smart comeback Dan had in the back of his thoughts fades all too quickly, replaced by a familiar kind of guilt. Last year, the guilt was over his feeling for Nate, seeing as the boy who stole his heart was also the one that literally wore Blair's on his sleeve. This time its because he knows Blair well enough to know she was really hurt.

Seeing that Dan and Serena are silenced, Blair's lips pull into a heartless smirk. "I thought so."

With that, she and her girls walk right into Dan and Serena, so as to jostle them about, before heading off to class. Neither Dan nor Serena say a word. 

 

"I'm not sure the long, sloping skirt will work on this design," Jenny says, showing Eric the sketch she has.

"Maybe its too poofy?" He suggests, scowling at the amount of tulle in the sketch.

"Maybe..." Jenny shrugs. For a few minutes, both are silent.

"So...Dan and Serena started school today?" Eric asks. At Jenny's nod, he nods too. "How's he doing?"

"Dan?" Jenny asks, to which Eric nods again. "He's...anxious. He and dad can barely talk without dad screaming at him, and Dan's still freaked about the Gossip Girl thing from last year..."

Eric nods. "I don't blame him. Whoever did that was really being cruel, trying to force Dan out of the closet before he was ready. I know how much that sucks from experience," Eric huffs softly. "Is Dan still doing that rubber band thing he used to do when he was anxious or angry?"

"I don't know...I left before he and Serena got up," Jenny frowns. "Maybe he's stopped it?"

"Maybe..." Eric says, but he doesn't sound too optimistic.


	4. Rumor Has It

Dan groans as he slumps down into the grass next to Serena, running a hand through his short brown curls. The blonde chuckles, offering Dan a sandwich. "That bad, huh?"

"I got in trouble for disturbing my British Literature class," Dan says, sitting up to take the sandwich. A rubber band can in fact be found on his left wrist. "For walking in..."

"Wow, okay, that is kinda bad," Serena replies. Dan nods.

"And, currently, the top three rumors about us are: A) we got busted selling crack to middle-schoolers and were in prison," Dan adds, only just catching some of the tuna fish from his sandwich as it tries to escape. "B) Chuck and Blair banished us from NYC for different reasons depending on who you talk to, or C) I got you pregnant and you were sent away to have the baby at some Farm while I was sent to a military school."

"I'm not sure which of those is the most ridiculous," Serena exclaims.

"I would die in military school," Dan remarks. "So I'd say that one. Anything interesting happen with your day?"

"Well apparently my mom and Bart Bass are now a thing," She states, making a face. "So if they get married, Chuck will be my new step brother."

"Ewww, why would you even go there?" Dan asks, making a face too.

"Because I knew you'd make that face," Serena teases, imitating his expression. Its like a mix between a scowl and the face a person would make when smelling a fart. Dan laughs at that, though when he regains control of himself, he has an important question.

"You get any 'gifts' from Blair and her crew?" Dan received a lovely locker full of ping-pong-balls which made quite the commotion when he opened his locker. Luckily, he didn't get into trouble for it.

Serena nods. "Mostly gossip, though I think one of her girls clipped off some of my hair during textiles."

Dan opens his mouth to offer to check only to be cut off by the bell chirping loudly, signaling that it's time to head to their classes.

"Jenny can check later," Serena huffs. Dan nods, standing and offering a hand to help Serena up.

 

Chuck and Nate are chatting outside the closed door of the classroom that Dan is supposed to be going to. Seeing as the classroom lights are off, Dan knows the teacher is going to be late.

He leans against the wall about a foot away from Nate, hoping to be at least invisible to his two classmates. Unfortunately, from this distance, he can over hear the two of them having a very private conversation.

"She's angry that I won't sleep with her," Nate is saying, his tone frustrated and exhausted. "I mean, I know we've been together since the third grade..."

"You're afraid to ruin the connection you two have," Chuck remarks thoughtfully. That surprises Dan. He's never seen Chuck as the wise, thoughtful type.

"Exactly," Nate sighs. "I just wish she'd understand-"

"Hold that thought," Chuck interjects. Then, he's suddenly in front of Dan, planting an arm on the wall above the shorter male's head. Flinching, Dan studies Chuck's face nervously. Chuck looks pissed. "Do you often listen in on private conversations?"

Dan's heart is going a mile a minute and he can feel Nate's eyes on him. Sighing, he forces his voice to be calm as he replies to Chuck.

"Okay, first of all, I'm just standing here, waiting for the teacher, same as you," Dan states. "Second, if it's a private conversation, maybe you shouldn't have it out in the hallway."

Chuck blinks, frowning, but he also moves to a much less threatening position of just facing towards Dan standing normally. "Sorry...Dan Humphrey, right?"

Dan nods, shocked that Chuck doesn't refer to him as Brooklyn Boy as most people at school do.

"Weren't you and Serena two of Blair's best friends last year?" Nate asks. Dan nods, feeling his pulse quicken at gaining Nate's attention. "Any advice for dealing with her?" Nate continues.

Dan, hoping the timidness he suddenly feels isn't visible, shakes his head apologetically. "Blair is not the same girl she was a year ago when me and Serena 'betrayed her' by leaving, which is understandable...any advice I could give you is likely useless."

Nate frowns, nodding all the same after a moment.

As if on cue the teacher appears to let them in. Nate gives a quiet thank you, which Dan barely hears, his mind preoccupied with memories of the Blair he and Serena would remember.

Foremost in his thoughts come countless memories of Blair's yearly sleepovers. She'd call him the night before every single time, formally inviting him and letting him know who'd be there ahead of time besides herself and Serena. Dan never missed one, though time and again he'd had to sneak out to get to them, and more often than not he'd spend his time with his nose buried in a book or chatting with Blair's dad.

She'd always have a makeover outfit for him, always going out of her way to make him feel included.

Another memory that comes to mind is one of the Christmas' his dad was on tour. He and Jenny were spending their holiday with the van der Woodsen's- the heartbreaking first Christmas after the divorce- and neither him or Jenny were in the best of mood. Still, the Waldorf's did all they could to make Dan and Jenny feel welcome. They even purchased gifts for them, which surprised them both.

A pang of guilt bites into Dan's ribs as he sinks into his seat. Blair's change had to be his and Serena's fault. They'd done this to her. 

Snapping the rubber band onto his skin, he sighed softly, a whole new wave of emotions filling his thoughts.


	5. TGIF

Eric practically leaps off his bed, tackling Dan into the wall and wrapping him in a bear hug when the two older kids come in. Serena has been trying for most of the afternoon to cheer Dan up, still unsure as to why he's so upset.

Jenny snaps a picture on her cell, still determined to collect memories of even the little things. Serena smiles, putting an arm around Jenny's shoulders as it finally feels like their whole little family has been reunited.

"Heard you had a rough first day," Eric says softly, pulling Dan to sit on the bed. Dan shrugs as Jenny and Serena join them.

"Will you please at least try to tell us what happened?" Jenny asks, squeezing her older brother's hand.

"Come on, Dan," Serena chimes in.

Looking down at his hands, Dan sighs softly. He then explains what happened with Nate and Chuck and brings up his concerns about Blair. 

"You think that its our fault she's like this," Serena says in a tone that says she may have been thinking the exact same thing. Dan nods but Jenny and Eric intervene.

"Didn't you guys hear yet?" Jenny asks. "Blair's mom and dad split up..."

"He left her for a man," Eric continues. "Blair was heartbroken. She tried to call you guys repeatedly, but the school you were going to wouldn't pass her messages along."

Dan's eyes widen. "Oh my god..." His thoughts race as he wonders momentarily if that's why he was always drawn to talking with Blair's dad at her slumber parties. But only momentarily, as he deems that's a dumb conclusion and not important in this moment.

Serena simply gasped.

"Therefore," Eric states. "Its not your fault Blair is a bitch. At least, not entirely."

Jenny nods. "She might still take her anger out on you, though."

"I think we can handle that," Dan says, seeming to be in a bit of a better mood now than he was earlier. Serena nods, smiling again.

Jenny grins. "Thank god its Friday, huh?"


	6. Boiling Point

Though Saturdays for most normal people mean not taking off your pajammas before ten a.m, munching down two plus bowls of sugar coated cereal, and staring numbly at whatever cartoons are on T.V. For the glamorous brood of the upper east side, things are quite different.

Saturdays mean brunch, a social gathering of a hundred or so of your closest friends and mortal enemies for blood orange martinis and breakfast-lunch banquets.

For D and S, school already proved to be a nightmare. What could possibly happen when they are dragged to the Waldorf family's preferred banquet hall? Will peace finally come between the friends or will it be the scene of world war three?

Keep your cameras ready, everyone. We're not going to want to miss this.

You know you love me.  
XOXO, Gossip Girl.

 

"Why does it feel like I'm dressing up to be executed?" Serena asks, slipping into her blue, green, and pink floral print dress. Dan glances up, pausing as he's buttoning his pale blue shirt, a cream colored vest waiting off to one side. A frown overtakes his expression.

"Could be because we're going to end up sitting with Blair, Chuck, and Nate," He says with a sigh, shrugging the vest on and examining his outfit in the mirror. The vest matches his skinny jeans, and the outfit is finished off by bright yellow converse, which he's still unsure whether or not looks weird.

"Maybe she'll have calmed down by now?" Serena says, trying to be optimistic. Dan shakes his head, both his tone and his mood just the opposite. 

"Or maybe she'll find a way to turn Chuck and Nate against us," He retorts.

"Well okay then, take the negative route, why don't you?" Serena playfully scolds him. He shrugs, looking to the girl who is basically his adoptive sister with a softened expression.

"I'm sorry, I just....I know something's going to happen, and I'd really rather our third day back not start with a screaming match, y'know?" He doesn't add the 'especially not if Nate's involved' that comes to mind, but Serena knows him well enough to know that it's implied. 

"Well, neither do I," She sighs. "But, think of it this way...maybe if she has no choice but to talk to us, she'll let us apologize."

Dan gives in, defeated, nodding softly. "Maybe..."

 

For some reason, as Dan and Serena sit with their 'three old friends', as Lily worded it, Dan finds himself lacking an appetite. Perhaps the tension so thick it could be cut with a butter knife has something to do with it.

He'd seen friendlier expressions on the guards in London.

Blair watches him and Serena icily, remaining silent even as Nate- clueless as he is cute- tries to start a conversation. Chuck simply looks unamused.

"So...you were both at a girl's boarding school?" Nate asks.

"Well, Dan was a special exception," Serena says, trying not to explain that Dan is gay and that was the reason he was allowed at the school. Dan, of course, is prepared.

"They made me wear a chastity belt," He jokes. This makes Nate laugh and Chuck smirks a bit. Blair only rolls her eyes. Picking at his eggs, Dan adds. "In reality, I had a single dorm and private tutoring in the library."

"Perhaps they were worried one of those boy-starved girls might molest you," Chuck jokes.

"Assuming Serena hadn't already," Blair remarks. Dan scowls, suddenly uncomfortable. Serena gives a sharp, surprised sound. 

"Blair, really?" She asks. "Was that necessary?"

"I don't know. Was leaving without warning or even a goodbye necessary?" Blair retorts.

Dan gently interjects, his tone soothing, hoping to calm both girls down. "Serena, maybe we should just go..."

"Oh very good, Dan," Blair remarks in that some sickly sweet tone. "That's the only way either of you face your problems, isn't it?"

"Blair," Nate interjects, sounding exasperated. "You could let Dan and Serena explain rather than making things uncomfortable for everyone."

"Oh, really? Am I making things uncomfortable, Chuck?" Blair asks as Serena starts to stand. Dan inwardly groans. World war III is about to start.


	7. World War III

"Serena, calm down-" Dan says, standing too. He is ignored, of course, drowned out by Blair's shouting. 

"Why'd you even bother coming back?!" Blair demands. "Everything was fine without you here, I was fine, things were doing fine, I didn't need either of you anymore. You should've just stayed away at whatever dumpy school you ran away to!"

"Blair, you're making a scene," Chuck starts, but, like Dan, he is ignored.

"Can it, Bass," Blair snaps.

"Stop biting everyone's head off," Serena chides, still fighting to be gentle. 

"Don't tell me what to do!" Blair snarls, grabbing her drink off the table. Of course this is the moment Dan picks to step between the two. And what does he get for his trouble? A face full of orange juice, which burns his eyes a little more than he expected.

"Blair, what the hell?!" Nate finally jumps in.

Wiping the juice from his eyes, Dan doesn't wait to see what happens next. 

"Come on, Serena," He says, wrapping an arm around her waist. "We're leaving." She nods and follows him out, both clearly shaken.

"Dan, Serena, wait-" Nate calls, releasing Blair. Turning to her, his tone becomes scolding. "You couldn't even try to be pleasant, could you? You just had to prove you were the queen bee, you couldn't leave well enough alone!"

With that, he chases after Dan and Serena.

Angered, Blair turns to Chuck, who regards her with an unamused scowl. "What is it, Waldorf?"

"I want you to find dirt on Dan and Serena, you're going to help me make them pay?" 

"Now why in the hell would I do that?" Chuck replies, tone cool.

"Because if you don't," Blair retorts, her expression icy cold. "Nate will find out about that one night we promised we wouldn't talk about."

Chuck's scowl deepens. Blair has been holding that drunken mistake over his head for months, but he hasn't had the confidence to tell Nate the truth himself yet. He'll have to soon though. He's getting downright sick and tired of being Blair's dog.

"Fine."

 

"Hey, wait up a second!" 

Dan and Serena are waiting on the sidewalk for the driver to come back when Nate reaches them. Without faltering, Nate stops a few inches from them, handing Dan his handkerchief. 

"Thanks," Dan says, wiping the orange juice from his eyes.

"Don't worry about it," Nate smiles. "But listen, I'm sorry about Blair. I didn't she'd act up like that in front of everyone..."

"We did," Serena says with a shrug. "It's not your fault though, Nate." 

"Still..." Nate said, offering Dan an apologetic smile as he's handed back his handkerchief. 

"It's not that big a deal," Dan says softly. "Its only orange juice, I won't go blind because of it."

Nate nods and smiles at that, about to say something else when the limo pulls up. 

"There's our ride," Serena says. "We should get going."

Nate nods. "I'll go deal with my girlfriend."

With that, they say their goodbyes, and D and S do just as Blair said: run away from their problems.


	8. Dirty Little Secrets

Chuck's limo is parked just out of sight of the entrance to the building Dan and Serena's limo stopped at. He spots them headed for the entrance, snapping a picture of the two, and then of the sign near the building.

The Ostroff Center. A mental facility.

There was the dirt Blair wanted. Sighing, he texts the pics to her, adding a sharp little 'there's your dirt, do with it what you will'.

He hates this feeling. And he knows how to fix it.

He's going to tell Nate what happened before Blair can, that way she'll stop holding it over his head and making him miserable. Nate might end up heartbroken. Maybe even hating Chuck. But Chuck Bass is nobody's dog.

"Let's go." He says to the driver. The man nods, pulling away, headed for the Bass family home.

 

"She threw her orange juice?!" Jenny exclaims, her eyes wide in amused shock. Dan nods, running a hand through his hair. 

"Right in my face. She was aiming for Serena, but-"

"Dan stepped in to try and save us both from making fools of ourselves," Serena interjects.

"And all I got for my trouble was a face full of orange juice..." Dan sighs.

"Aaand Nate Archibald giving you his handkerchief."

"What?!" Jenny and Eric exclaim simultaneously, which makes Dan blush quite a bit more than he wanted to.

"Yeah... Nate came out to make sure we were okay, and..." He shrugs, trailing off. Jenny, of course, is having none of this. 

"Dan Humphrey, you give us details right now!" She demands, pinning her brother. Serena moves to try and save Dan only to be tickled off him by Eric, leaving the four teens a giggling mess when Lily arrives with Eric's doctor.

"Well this seems fun," Lily says with a laugh as all four freeze. The doctor smiles. 

"You seem to be doing a lot better, Eric," he says. Eric grins, now hugging Serena. 

"I am."

"That's good, because your mother and I have discussed it and you can go home today if you'd like to," The doctor says. The teens all look at each other, cheering after a moment. Lily just smiles, happy to bring all of her family home.

 

Blair studies the text from Chuck, showing the photos to her girls of the steps.

"These are perfect," She says with a triumphant grin. "Question is, when to use them?"

The blonde girl's hand shoots up.

"Yes, Gigi?"

"The Ivy week party? All the most important people will be there," Gigi said with a grin. "It'll be the perfect time to cut them both down and ruin them forever."

"If the school even let's Dan go," Bridgette squeals. "He is Brooklyn Boy after all."

Blair only nods, a cruel grin pulling at her rose petal colored lips. Ivy Week is the perfect time to strike them both down.


	9. Confessions

"I thought you said we were going home," Eric says, scowling as the limo stops in front of the Palace hotel. "This isn't home."

"Its home for now," Lily replies with a light shrug. "I'm having our flat remodeled."

"Classic Lily," Dan says, a gentle amusement to his tone. "If it ain't broke, break it." 

Eric and the girls laugh at this, while Lily playfully smacks the boy who is practically her adopted second son. 

"Ow," Dan huffs, feigning a pout at the woman who's been his mother figure for quite some time. Eric laughs again, but it fades as he remembers a conversation he still needs to have.

"So, mom, about school..."

"Your doctor said to take things slow, Eric," Lily replies, watching her son with a cautious expression.

"I know, and I will...but...I want to go back as soon as I can," Eric says. Jenny automatically squeezes his hand, though since they've left the Ostroff center, its grown unclear whether that's so she can reassure him or the other way around.

"Well...we'll go to the Ivy Week Banquet as a group first," Lily states. "That way you can see everyone and catch up, but take some time to make sure everything is steady first."

Eric nods, grinning. Jenny just squeezes his hand again.

 

"Nathaniel!"

The voice makes him jump at first, but he grins when he sees Chuck's head peeking out of the limo window. Waving, Nate walks over.

"Are you following me?"

"Sort of. Get in, I need to talk to you about something..."

"Now?"

"It's important, Nathaniel," Chuck says. His tone is desperate. Anxious. Which instantaneously makes Nate a little anxious too because this is Chuck, King of Cool. He rarely shows any extreme emotions.

Nate slides into the limo, watching his best friend with a concerned expression as Chuck rolls up the window. Once Chuck is looking back at him, Nate speaks.

"What's wrong, man? You're acting weird..."

"I need...to tell you something," Chuck replies, looking at the limo floor. "You're not going to like hearing it..."

"What is it?" Nate frowns, grabbing one of Chuck's hands. A million thoughts race through his head. Chuck is sick. Chuck's in trouble. Chuck got a girl pregnant. He's a drug addict. An alcoholic. He's leaving. Any one of these things would be something Nate wouldn't like hearing. 

Then Chuck says something that makes Nate's heart stop. 

"Its about Blair."

 

"Hey," Eric says, plopping beside Jenny on his bed. She's been way quieter than normal since they left the center and he's starting to worry. "You okay?"

Jenny glances up at him, nodding after a minute, fingers carding through her straightened, feathery blonde locks. "Yeah, just...worried, that's all..."

"Jenny..." Eric sighs, draping an arm around her shoulder. "Everything's gonna be okay. Its a new year, a new start. And...things'll be even better if you come back with me, so I can always sit with my best friend at lunches and in our classes together."

He's been trying to convince Jenny to come back to school with him. So far, his efforts have been fruitless.

"I don't know, E....what if its a repeat of last year?"

Eric makes a face at this, remembering how difficult things got when the sweet, closeted rich kid he fell for was using Jenny as his cover. It had caused Jenny and Eric to fight, a lot, and in light of recent events, he knows Jenny still blames herself for his incident.

"It won't, I promise," He says after a minute. "And if any guy tries to use you like that again, whether or not I'm making out with them in secret, I'll make sure he's the only one who gets hurt by it, not us." Pulling her closer, he adds: "Besides, you'll need a high school diploma to get into a good design school. Even with a letter of recommendation from Mrs. Waldorf."

Jenny sighs. Eleanor's made the same point multiple times. Jenny needed her degree, and though she'd been hoping to do homeschooling, she couldn't say no with Eric looking at her like a kicked puppy.

"Alright, you win..." Jenny murmurs. "If Constance-Billiards'll take me back, I will come back to school."

Eric grins triumphantly, pulling her into a hug. "Thank god. School without you was going to suck."

 

"You slept with Blair?"

"Yes Nathaniel..."

"You were drunk?"

"Yes."

"Was she?"

"I....I don't remember, most of that night is a blur, you'd have to ask her yourself..."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Chuck stares at Nate, studying the fierceness in those blue eyes as the two sit in Chuck's room. He could tell the truth, explain how he feared his best friend would choose the girl over him and he'd end up alone. But, he's shown quite a bit of weakness today. Maybe for now, he's shone enough.

"Its not the easiest thing to tell..."

At this, Nate scowls. Chuck leans back against the wall.

"I know you're angry, Blair was yours and-"

"Blair's not a possession," Nate states. "And you were drunk, from the sounds of it, very drunk. I'm not mad at you for what you did."

Chuck frowns, confused.

"I'm mad at you for not telling me after it first happened."

And with that, Nate walks out. Just like Chuck feared he would.


	10. Revelations and Regrets

Ivy Week, the most important week for juniors at St. Jude's and Constance-Billiards. Students spend the day as Ushers trying to impress college scouts with their knowledge in hopes to score a promise of full admission into the school of their choice.

And this year, it will be a scene to remember.

A little birdy told me our Queen B has a nasty surprise for D and S. But be careful B. Rumors are just lies that have taken lives of their own, and they almost always come back to bite the hands that spread them. 

Be watching for what plays out, I know I will.

You know you love me.  
XOXO Gossip Girl

 

Blair is barely focused on her conversation with the recruiter about who will be the Usher for brown at the Ivy week party. Her thoughts are still on what happened this weekend and how Chuck Bass helped her, and then proceeded to destroy her relationship completely.

She has the dirt she wanted on Serena and Dan. But, now Nate knows all about that night. About how Blair hadn't drank at all that evening. About how she did it because she wanted a way to make Chuck play by her rules, since just being Nate's girlfriend didn't give her that much control. Nate was unsurprisingly furious, and it appeared that the power couple of the two combined schools was now broken up for good.

"Thank you, Ms. Waldorf, we're done here," The recruiter finally says. She smiles politely, standing and making her way out. And of course, she bumps into Dan on his way in to talk to the recruiter from Yale.

"You really think the school will let you be an Usher?" Blair scoffs, drawing Dan's attention.

"Yeah, why wouldn't they?" Dan retorts, scowling.

"Because they wouldn't want Brooklyn Boy, son of a rock star, representing the school. You're nowhere near Ivy League institution quality," Blair croons. And with that, she wanders off down the hall, leaving Dan and his damaged confidence behind.

 

Dan can't help but feel like he's suffocating under the recruiter's blank stare. He desperately wants to be the Usher for Yale, that's the only way the college would ever accept him even though his dad is just as well off as the parents of his peers, but nothing he's trying is working.

It all comes down to reputation. And from the look on the recruiter's face, its clear Dan doesn't have the right one.

Snapping the rubber band on his wrist to calm down, Dan falters at the end of his piece. The recruiter simply sighs in response, making Dan's heart sink to the pit of his stomach. Blair was right. No school would give 'Brooklyn Boy' half a chance.

"Thank you, Mr. Humphrey, you may return to class."

Nodding politely, Dan stands. He's shaking like a leaf, but thankfully the recruiter doesn't seem to notice. But when he leaves the office, something even worse happens.

Dan finds himself greeted by the calm, smiling, beautiful face of Nate Archibald. Nate's expression becomes immediately concerned as those eyes so blue you could drown in them scan Dan's face. Pulling Dan aside, Nate allows another student to go in ahead of him, his eyes never leaving Dan's face, even when the office door shuts, its resounding thud echoing down the hall.

"Hey...you're shaking," Nate's tone is soft, soothing. "What happened in there?"

"Nothing," Dan murmurs in reply, looking down, wishing his voice didn't sound so damn close to crying. "It was just a normal interview."

Nate frowns, squeezing Dan's shoulders. He knows that defeated, lost expression. Its that of someone whose interview was over before it even started. Someone who wasn't given any little bit of a chance.

"It'll be okay," The taller male insists, eyes scanning Dan's face once more. "If anyone deserves this, its you. You're the second in our class-"

"And you're the first. Why would they pick me over you?"

"Because I don't plan to go to Yale?" Nate offers. Dan, feeling a little emotionally vulnerable, can't help but sound sarcastic when he replies. 

"What? You more of a Harvard guy?"

"USC actually. I've always wanted to see California. And time away from my parents would be great."

Dan blinks, startled into silence by Nate's calm, cheerfulness even when getting snapped at. Nate, on the other hand, can't help but chuckle at Dan's deer-in-the-headlights expression.

"S-sorry..." Dan looks down again, but this time, Nate catches his chin with a gentle hand, tilting it back up.

"Don't be. Just be a little more self confident," Nate says, his tone reassuring. Then he flashes a perfectly white smile that makes Dan's heart skip a few beats before slipping into the office for his turn. 

Walking back to class, Dan shakes his head. 'That is Blair's boyfriend,' he mentally scolds himself. Still, he can't help but blush at the thought of Nate's lips that close to his.

 

Chuck smiles slightly, studying the photo he just snapped of an intimate moment between Dan and Nate. Its been awhile since he's seen Nate look so genuinely happy and comfortable with someone.

Maybe, just maybe, Nate will end up with Dan once he's over Blair. And, if he ever does forgive Chuck and start talking to him again, maybe he'll want this picture.

'At least with an adorably awkward goof like Dan Humphrey around, there's hope that everything will turn out okay."


	11. Concessions

Dan sighs, slumping into a spot in the grass beside Serena when she meets him for lunch. His appetite died during the recruiter meeting, so all he's grabbed is a water bottle. Serena sees this and gives him a concerned frown.

"You're not eating?"

"Not hungry. Ivy Week sucks," Dan replies, sighing again. At least he's stopped shaking since he talked to Nate.

"The interview went that bad?" His blonde best friend frowns.

"Worse. It was like I was talking to a statue..." Dan groans. "I swear the guy stopped breathing for a solid two minutes, he was so quiet."

"Sometimes quiet is good," Serena says with a shrug. "You're the second smartest guy in our class, why wouldn't Yale pick you?"

"Because one of the other candidates is the smartest guy in our class," Dan whines.

"Nate?" At Dan's nod, Serena opens her mouth to reply, but the bell rings, ushering them back inside for classes.

 

Two hours later, Dan stands in front of the announcement board, numbly reading the Usher list over and over again. There's Nate's name, right next to Yale. And where is Dan's? Right down at the bottom of the list next to a job title that would send most of the parents of students in this school into the Dean's office screaming.

Concessions.

Everyone else would be vying for a chance at a better future and Dan would be offering people cookies and pouring cups of punch!

His fantastic grades don't matter. His perfect behavior doesn't matter. The fact that Nate insisted he doesn't even want Yale doesn't matter. None of that matters. Because in the end, its just like Blair said.

The school doesn't want 'Brooklyn Boy' representing them. That's all it comes down to. Dan should have known better than to think the Dean would ever let him Usher Yale.

Turning to leave the school, go back to the Palace and sulk, Dan walks straight into Nate, but in the moment, he's too upset to say anything and he simply ducks his head, walking out.

 

"Nate? Nate, sweetheart, are you even listening?" Anne asks. The family is on their way to a nice restaurant for dinner in order to celebrate Nate getting to be the Usher for Yale. 

"Sorry, what?" Nate asks his mother, earning worried looks from both of his parents.

"What's got you so distracted, son?" Captain asks. "Are you still sulking over the Blair issue?"

Nate sighs in response, shaking his head. "I...can't stop thinking about Dan. It doesn't seem fair. I don't even want Yale."

At this, his mother frowns, while his father shakes his head.

"That's not on you, son, its on the school," Captain says. "St. Jude's would never let a Brooklyn native represent them to a school like Yale, and after his parents split was all over the news last year, Dan is lucky the school let him participate at all."

Nate scowls, but before he can cut in, his father continues. 

"A boy like Dan will probably end up at some new age theater school, studying philosophy, where he'll grow dreads and get hooked on LSD."

"Oh Captain, really!" Anne exclaims, stepping in to defend her son's friend. Turning to her son, she continues. "Will Dan be at the party at the end of the week?"

Nate nods. "Yeah, he's working the concessions."

Captain snorts at this, a sharp, unattractive sound, only to receive a pointed look from his wife.

"Then your solution is simple," Anne states. "If you want to give Dan the fair chance your school refuses too, bring the Yale scout to him. Get them talking."

At this, Nate smiles. His mom has always been the one he can count on to solve problems he can't solve on his own. Grinning, he hugs her, seeming to have cheered right up. "Mom, your a genius."

"I know," His mother smiles.


	12. Really Fucking Awkward

"I hate this!" Dan mutters to Serena as he dresses as the school asked him to. Black pants. Black vest. White shirt. Slim, silver tie. Serena gives him a pitying smile.

"It's not going to be that bad, D..."

"Really, S?" Dan huffs. "I'm basically a glorified waiter! The school put me at the bottom of the totem pole because of dad. God, even when he's away on tour, he continues to make my life miserable..."

Serena sighs some, hugging Dan as she looks at the two of them in the mirror. She's in a black and white dress with a silver belt. Eric and Jenny are dressed similarly to their older siblings, while Lily has chosen a classic white outfit.

"It'll be okay. We'll apply to Yale together like we always planned. This won't wreck your whole future. Its just one crappy party."

Dan sighs back. "Yeah, I guess."

 

Despite Serena's reassurances, concession sucks ass. 

Dan spends the first hour of the Ivy Week Party pouring lemonade, handing out cookies, and trying desperately to ignore the sneers of Blair and her minions every time they walk by. He never realized he could actually be more mortified than he was the day his parents messy divorce was televised for an entire nation to see. But today is arguably much, much worse. He's dying inside.

And then he sees Nate. Who's coming towards him with the college rep he's supposed to be ushering. 

Things just got a hundred times worse.

Dan tries to focus on stirring the punch with its serving ladle as the two approach, when Nate saying his name draws his attention.

"Dan!" Nate exclaims, a bright grin on his face. "This is Professor Hawkins, he's dying to meet you."

What? "He is?"

The professor grins, seeming amused by Dan's shock. "Well after the shining review Mr. Archibald here gave you, I knew we just had to talk. Are you really the second in you're entire class?"

Dan nods, too startled to question the fact Nate talked him up enough to the college scout that the scout asked to meet him. "I am."

"Fantastic, and what's your GPA like?"

As Nate turns to wander away, Dan shoots him a look of gratitude before continuing his conversation with the college rep.

 

Nate joins Chuck where he's seated on the steps in one of the rooms within the school. Chuck's family reputation is more than enough to get him into whatever school he likes, so he doesn't have to usher school reps and worry about petty rivalries, but his father came to the party as Lily's date so Chuck came along too.

"Hey," Nate says as he perches beside his best friend.

"Hey...?" There's a hesitance, an uncertainty in Chuck's voice as he stares at Nate. He's still nervous over the whole Blair mess. "You ditched the rep already?"

"Left him talking to Dan. USC was the plan anyway, remember?"

Chuck simply nods. He remembers because he and Nate had had a three hour long conversation about it one night. Chuck had wanted to know where Nate planned to go for schooling so he could go the same path.

"I'm surprised you're here," Nate remarks. "You don't have to usher anyone. You're Chuck Bass."

"Dad was going as Lily's date and asked me to tag along..." Chuck sighs. "Listen, about Blair."

"Don't," Nate's tone is gentler than he'd expected. "It wasn't you're fault, and honestly, I'm just glad you told me. If it had been me I wouldn't have said a damn word."

Chuck looks at Nate, shocked momentarily, and then gives a grateful nod. It isn't until a moment later when Nate's earlier statement about where the rep is processed.

"...Serena's here too, isn't she?"

"Yeah, why?" 

Chuck stands. "Your ex may be planning a social take down, and if my intuition is correct, it'll happen today. We may just have time to stop her before she ruins Dan and Serena's lives forever."

Nate stands, following Chuck to the door, but just as they're stepping through, Blair walks up to the microphone.


	13. Bomb Drop Blair

"Esteemed guests of St. Jude's and Constance-Billiards," Blair croons into the microphone, a projection screen rolling down behind her. Dan's heart drops into the pit of his stomach as he shoots Serena a terrified look from across the crowd. Serena looks up at him from her conversation with Jenny and Lily, at first confused, but as soon as she sees what's on the screen, her eyes go wide. 

Dan feels a hand on the small of his back. Glancing over, he relaxes when he realizes its Eric. 

On the screen behind Blair is an image of Dan and Serena, walking into the Ostroff Center. Both look solemn, Serena's arm is around Dan's shoulders. 

"Before this ceremony draws to a close, I made arrangements to honor two of our students. Daniel Humphrey and Serena Van Der Woodsen have been fighting a hard battle behind closed doors," Blair says, as if to bring pity from the crowd, her hands clasped over her heart. "When they both disappeared from school last year, I, as one of their closest friends suspected the worst. I knew they'd messed around with drugs at parties, but full blown addiction..."

"Oh for fucks sake," Eric whispers, rubbing Dan's back. Professor Hawkins gives Dan a look of suspicion that says his dreams of Yale are going down the drain. 

"We can fix this," The new voice makes Dan jump. Chuck squeezes his shoulder as he and Nate move to stand on the other side of Dan. Nate is glowering so sharply at Blair that it redefines the phrase 'if-looks-could-kill'.

"Dan and Serena have been getting help, as this picture shows," Blair says, her tone nothing but angelic. "The Ostroff Center has a great rehab program. I'm sure they're both well on their way to sobriety."

That's the last Dan hears. He turns and walks out of the party, biting down on the inside of his cheek to keep from bursting into tears.

 

Normally Dan wouldn't cry in front of anyone except for Jenny, Serena, and Eric. But he's is now having a full on break down in front of Nate and Chuck, sobbing into Eric's shoulder. He's embarrassed. Professor Hawkins followed him out of the party and commented that while he admired Dan for his battle, Yale wasn't too privy on enrolling students with addictions (especially ones from his societal background).

Chuck, in a weird show of solidarity, is already working out how to bring the falsities of Blair's 'touching statement' to the school board and have a public apology forced out of Blair. Nate is quiet, gently squeezing Dan's shoulder.

"Dan!" Serena runs over, also in tears, Lily, Jenny, and Bart in tow. Bart steps of to one side with Chuck, who immediately reassures his father that Blair's statements aren't true. Lily gently wraps her two boys in a hug. 

And of course, this is the perfect time for Blair and her little minions to come strolling in.


	14. ANNOUNCEMENT

Hey y'all, Mikey here.

So... umm... Ed Westwick (who played Chuck Bass) was recently exposed as having sexually assaulted (or worse) at least three women. Granted, he did deny it, but so do a lot of folks who are guilty. Anywho, the knowledge of this has been kinda giving me bad vibes and making me uncomfortable with the Gossip Girl universe as a whole. So, I am discontinuing this fanfic. I'm sorry to disappoint, but, for personal reasons, I will not be continuing this story.

Thanks for reading.


End file.
